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azombiewritesTitle: A Werewolf Investigation
Rating: PG
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
AU: Scientific Paranormal Investigations
Main Characters: Ezra, Buck and the rest.
Summary: The team investigate after a death is reported in Lufkin, Texas where the locals claim a Werewolf was the culprit.
Disclaimers: The guys are owned by CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp.
Spoilers: None
Status: Complete
Total Word Count: 30,509
"Buck! Buck!" Ezra jerked himself awake and ignored his own pain as it erupted in his side and shoulder.
"What!?" Buck was almost yelling at him.
"You okay?" Ezra could see the pain etched into his features.
"I would be if you stopped hitting my arm." he growled at him. He knew it wasn't Ezra's fault but he needed to be angry. If he wasn't angry then he would be scared. He was now but the anger held it back and allowed him to think.
"I'm not hitting you." Ezra retorted.
"How would you know, you were asleep and having a nightmare. You must have a concussion if you keep blacking out." Buck informed him. "Who were you fighting anyway?"
"The Gillian twins." Ezra smiled as he lied. Lying was the easiest thing in the world for him to do. He had been taught to lie from the day he was born.
"I didn't have to fight them to sleep with me." Buck gloated.
"You probably paid them." Ezra told him.
"I wish." Buck sighed. Humor wasn't going to help them, all they were trying to do was distract each other from the inevitable. "Have you thought of a way to get us out of here yet?"
"I've been sleeping. Have you remembered the way out of here?"
"I've been suffering an enormous amount of pain due to your physical infliction upon my person." Buck replied calmly in a very bad Southern accent.
Ezra raised an eyebrow at him. "That's my line."
"A person can learn a lot hanging around you." Buck paid Ezra a compliment.
"Was that an insult?" Ezra's tone was serious.
Buck rolled his eyes and turned away from him. He looked down at the ground beside his legs. He had looked around while Ezra had been asleep and had seen some of the things the ex-criminal had seen. He knew the body that now lay in the corner with the other bones had been freshly killed. There was a small pool of blood at the entrance of the cavern. Buck had wondered if Ezra had witnessed the kill, something in the pit of his stomach told him the younger man had. He looked up when he heard a growl. Gertrude Johnson walked into the small cavern. She carried a bowl and a small plate of food. She knelt down in front of Ezra and ignored the only other human in the cave.
"I've brought you some water and food sweetie."
"I don't want anything from you."
Buck groaned, he hoped this didn't result in another broken bone. He nudged the Southerner with his elbow to let him know about his concern. Ezra understood.
"I'm not hungry, I still feel sick from before." Ezra muttered.
"I'm sorry about that Ezra but you needed to see it so you could learn your lesson. You talk to much sometimes and I don't like to be insulted." Gertrude's voice held a threatening tone, she wanted Ezra to retaliate with words so she could hurt his friend again. Maybe she would do it anyway. She enjoyed inflicting pain.
Buck kept his mouth shut while he waited for Ezra to say something. This was always the time that his mouth worked overtime, when the rest of him was in serious danger. But Ezra didn't say anything. Buck realised it was because his life wasn't the only one in danger this time. Ezra wasn't going to give the bitch a chance to hurt Buck again. The electronics expert was grateful.
Ezra bit his lip and waited for her to leave before he spoke the words that had jumped from his brain to his mouth. "Where's a seven foot axe wielding maniac when you need one." "What does an axe wielding maniac have to do with any of this?" Buck turned his confused expression towards his friend.
"I'd rather go up against one than her." Ezra muttered.
"Uh huh." Buck nodded in understanding. He gritted his teeth against the pain as it pounded once again through his arm up to his brain. Each time this happened, it got worse. He was beginning to feel nauseas. He concentrated on trying to remember the way out of this hellhole. He looked sideways at Ezra, the man was asleep again. He must have hit the tree pretty hard Buck thought. He may have to come up with a plan to get out as well. He no longer thought Ezra was up to it. He thought the dreams he was suffering from and the hell he was going through was causing him to be very scared. If he was then Ezra would also have to be. Buck hoped his own death was going to be quick but he didn't think Ezra was going to be so lucky. His death was going to be long and painful.
He had to think of a way out but the enemy wasn't like anything they had dealt with before. They were predators, quick and deadly. They found it easy to kill and they would win any fight they were engaged in. He had a broken arm and Ezra's ribs were probably broken and it didn't help that his shoulder was dislocated. They couldn't physically force their way out of here. They had no weapons to defend themselves with. They had to fight Ezra's way, they had to cheat. Buck didn't really know how to, he would have to ask Ezra when he woke up.
Buck no longer had an idea what time it was. The small cavern was filled with a light that came from somewhere, maybe it was a way out. Time was either passing slowly or quickly. They could come for him or Ezra at any time. Maybe he could distract them while Ezra found his way out. He knew Ezra wouldn't allow that, for some reason the Southerner preferred to take all the risks, he didn't know why, it was as though he had a death wish. He had no idea why the younger man disregarded his own life so much. He thought he wasn't worth anything, that everyone else was more important than him. Unless that person was a bad guy.
He turned quickly when he heard Ezra moan, he was doing that a lot in his sleep. He wanted to know what the younger man was dreaming about. It obviously wasn't pleasant whatever it was. No names were mentioned, no places so he wasn't able to decipher the dream himself. But the dream wasn't important now, their lives were. He would worry about Ezra's nightmares if they managed to survive this hell. He was going to make sure they did.
The electronics expert and ladies man - well he thought he was - pushed himself up into a standing position. There was no longer a creature within sight but he knew one would be close by. He was going to find out how close. He used his left hand to undo one of his shirt buttons and placed his wrist into his shirt to support his arm. Buck looked down at Ezra and hoped it wasn't the last time he would see him. But then again if he died then they would have nothing to force Ezra to cooperate. They wouldn't be able to threaten him to get to Ezra. He smiled at the thought, Ezra's mouth would say what he thought and hopefully bring him a quick death, which would be caused by Gertrude's anger.
Buck took one-step forward and when there was no retaliation to the movement, he took another step, then another. He moved slowly and quietly. His mind's voice asking that Ezra didn't wake up, the Southerner might say something to give his plan away. He glanced back at Ezra, he smiled, and the last glance he took at the sleeping man wasn't the last. He continued to move forward until he reached the cavern entrance. A deep breath filled his lungs, he almost gagged at the smell but managed to hold the breath in. He glanced around the visible area beyond his reach. Nothing. He took another step forward. A quick glance to the left and right revealed nothing. No creatures guarded the prisoners. His first thought was that it was a trap. He didn't care. He moved as quickly as he could back to his friend.
"Ezra." his voice was low to begin with then he raised it slightly when Ezra didn't wake. "Ezra." He shook the smaller man until he elicited a groan of pain from him. The man's eyelids fluttered open.
"What . . . ?" Ezra murmured.
"We're getting out of here Ezra. Let's go." Buck used his good arm to pull Ezra towards him.
"But." Ezra started.
"But nothing Ezra, there aren't any creatures near by so we're going to make a break for it." Buck told him.
Ezra felt a surge of hope. He stood up and followed Buck out of their prison. He was glad to be rid of the sights he had witnessed in the cavern. He hesitated before moving after his friend. He needed to know where they were. They wouldn't have just left them. Gertrude wouldn't leave him to escape. "Do you know which way to go?" Ezra whispered.
"Of course I do." Buck lied.
Buck led the way through the tunnel that was surrounded by rock, it was a natural formation and not man made. They had to walk quietly so their footsteps on the stone beneath their feet didn't echo through the taverns. The creatures would easily pick up the sound. He looked at the walls of rock as he passed by them hoping to see something that was familiar, he thought the outcrop of stone in front of him was familiar. He followed it around to the right. He heard a shuffling sound and stopped. His hand went out behind him to stop Ezra from walking into him.
Ezra saw the hand before he felt it. He wasn't sure where the sound they had heard came from. They waited but the noise didn't sound a second time. The Southerner took another step when Buck moved forward again. He kept expecting to run into one of the creatures that were going to devour Buck Wilmington for dinner. If that was the case, he would have to do something that would anger them enough to kill him as well. He wouldn't be able to cope if he had to witness Buck's death and then be forced to watch them eat him. No one could cope with that.
"Ezra." Buck whispered.
Ezra realised he'd stopped moving, he knew it was fear. It hadn't left him since he listened to Gertrude's order to bring the creature that had harmed him to her. It had also grown with each nightmare he had suffered from since his injury. The fear wasn't aimed towards himself though, he was afraid for Buck. His own death didn't worry him, he expected it to happen at any time. He'd made some enemies in his life of crime and threats had been made against his life. There had been two attempts already. He started moving again.
Both men stopped when they heard a chuckle. They knew what it meant. It had been a trap, they were playing with them. The laughter became louder. Ezra recognised it as Gerturde's laugh. He watched as Buck desperately searched for a way out. It was futile. Creatures appeared in front of them and behind them.
"Trying to escape were we?" Gertrude asked as the creatures parted for her arrival.
"Only because you let us." Ezra retorted.
A clawed fist raised itself to strike him but a feral growl stopped the creature from inflicting the blow. Gertrude moved forward and nodded her head towards Buck. The fist finally came down.
"No!" Ezra yelled.
There was nothing he could do. He watched as Buck turned to protect himself against the blow. The claw struck his back instead of his chest. The nails tore through his flesh and scraped against bone. Ezra closed his eyes to the sound of Buck's cry of pain.
"If you kill him I will never do what you want." Ezra's accent had become thicker as he yelled his threat to the leader of the pack.
"Fine." Gertrude shrugged her shoulders. "Take them." She moved away and began muttering to herself.
"We were only having fun anyway. But it seems Ezra doesn't have a sense of humor. Maybe he will later when we do kill his friend. I'll think I'll wait until after I have my fun with Ezra then I'll kill his friend in front of him. Better than making pumpkin pie any day."
"She is one sick woman." Ezra retorted. He didn't hear her ramblings.
Ezra leant down to help Buck but he was pulled away from him. He was pulled back towards the prison they thought they had escaped from. He struggled but their grip was firm. They had refused to touch his left arm, they knew it was damaged and touching it would inflict pain. They feared their master too much to risk that. He tried to turn his head to see what was happening to Buck. He couldn't be sure that Gertrude hadn't lied to him. He heard a grunt of pain and the sound of what he thought was dragging feet. He was roughly turned around and he was aware of different surroundings. He wasn't being taken back to the small cavern that he had originally been held in.
"What about Buck? Where are you taking Buck?" Ezra demanded to know.
He didn't receive an answer. They continued to drag him further into the cave. How was he going to know whether Buck was alive or dead if they were now separated. He was pushed into a larger cavern. He tried to get back out but he was pushed further into the cave. He gave up, what else he could do against them. He looked around at his new prison, it was cleaner than the last one. No bones littered the room. There was no bedding that smelt of stale urine. He moved to the wall and sat down. He grimaced as his ribs protested. The worry that he felt for Buck took control of his fear. He knew that it would soon turn to anger at his hopeless situation. He would have to do something at some point or he would end up regretting it. He had to think of a way to get back to Buck and help him to get out even if he didn't make it himself.
________________________________________
The creature stopped, hesitated then entered what looked like a small cave. The opening was at the base of a large hill that was covered by small trees. It was well hidden from view. An odor crept out from the animal's cave, it was the smell of death. The stench may have stopped people from getting too close that may be the reason they had never been found.
"If Buck and Ezra are anywhere, it's in there." Chris stood close to Vin so he didn't need to raise his voice.
"Phone the others, let them know where we are and which direction to come."
"Sure." Vin just hoped they wouldn't be wasting their time or their lives if they went in there to look for the two men.
"We need a plan." Chris told him when he hung up the mobile. "Give me that." Chris took the phone from
Vin and hit the redial button. "Go to the van first, I want you to get something for me."
Vin smiled as the plan that had grown in Chris' mind revealed itself to him. "That'll work."
"Yeah, but we have to get them out of there first." Chris answered him. He was sure it was going to be the only way to make sure the creatures were either dead or not coming out again.
________________________________________
Buck woke to feel the pain that tore at his back. He moaned as the memory of what happened came back to him. He could feel the claw as it ripped open his back. It had torn through his buckskin jacket and shirt. Both objects were now ruined. They would be soaked with his blood. He twisted onto his side so he could look for Ezra. He had become concerned when he didn't hear his voice. He expected the Southerner to make some sort of comment when he woke up.
"Ezra?" He couldn't see him. He forced himself to sit up. "Ezra?" His brown eyes searched the small cavern.
Ezra wasn't with him. He was alone which meant that Ezra was also alone. That's if he wasn't dead. "Oh god." He hoped that Gertrude didn't have him. He was unaware of how long he'd been unconscious for. He laid back down on his right side, the wound was to his left shoulder. There was nothing he could do about the wound. His only hope was that it had stopped bleeding. If it continued to bleed then he would die without medical intervention.
He realised he had been returned to the same cave he had escaped from. A quick glance to the opening told him that there was a creature guarding him once more. There was no hope to escape, he wasn't willing to leave Ezra behind. The thought caused his mind to drift towards Ezra. He wanted to be with Ezra, to help him through this traumatic time, they would be able to help each other. He also began to think about his friends. He wondered if he would ever see them again. His worse fear about death was dying before he could say good-bye to Chris, JD and the others. He knew JD would take his death hard, Chris also but he knew that they had Vin, Nathan and Josiah to help them get through it. He should have said good-bye to Ezra when he had the chance. Now he was going to die alone, so would Ezra. He didn't hold any hope that the others would find them and if they did, they wouldn't be able to get past the creatures. And they didn't know about Gertrude. If they met her first then they would probably die before he and Ezra did.
He silently wished that Chris had accepted their deaths and not come after them. He knew the effort to emancipate them would only result in their deaths. He didn't want the entire team to die. Buck felt his blood run cold when he heard a scream. He knew it was human but the distortion caused by the rock walls made it hard for him to decide if it was Ezra's scream or not. He felt the cold fear as it gripped his heart. If it wasn't Ezra then it could be one of the others. He curled himself up into a ball and stared at the entrance to his prison. If it was one of the others then they would be joining him shortly. Either alive or dead. If it was Ezra, he hoped his death had been quick.
________________________________________
Ezra wanted to get up and pace the larger prison but he didn't dare move from the position he was now in. He had a clear view of the entrance to the cavern and the creature that guarded it. He forced himself not to think of Buck and what might be happening to him. He could have been dinner by now for all he knew. But he didn't know and that was the worse part. He had begun to like Buck and the others, they had a way of growing on you, like a weed but even some weeds are nice. He had tried to push them away from the start because he didn't think he was going to last. Either his mother would see to that or Chris would decide he wasn't worth keeping around. It had happened before and will happen again but he'd been with the team for six months now. He decided that if he was going to be kicked out it would have been by now. Maybe they were going to allow him to stay. Sometimes their efforts to get close to him were quite funny to watch.
He pushed himself closer to the wall and welcomed the pain it caused in his shoulder and side, it was the one thing that was able to slow down the terrifying images that entered his mind. A camera flashed, displaying an image that he didn't want to see. Buck was dying, his throat had been slashed and the blood that helped to sustain his life poured from his body. Ezra could hear his friend's heartbeat pounding in his own ears, he could sense the fear and his fear began to build when he heard the heartbeat slow down. The sound of Buck's heartbeat continued to slow until it came to a complete stop.
Ezra bit down the fear that threatened to leave him verbally. He wanted to cut out the fear and replace it with control. If he was in control then he would be able to think of a way out of this hellhole. He would have to look for Buck, he would need to know if he was dead or alive. Either way he would take him with him. If he was dead then he would need a decent burial, if he was alive then he would need medical attention. He closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the images that flashed in his mind. Ezra began to breath deeply as he decided to take control of his situation. Gertrude Johnson was not going to get the better of Ezra Standish. He felt himself begin to calm down, the fear took a backward seat as his mind began to tick over. Now he just needed to come up with a plan.
________________________________________
Buck knew he needed to do something about his back. The flow of blood had eased but he could still feel the warm liquid trickling down his back. It was soaking his shirt and the band of his jeans. The smell of his own blood mixed with the other odors in the cavern. At least he could afford to worry about himself. He knew Ezra would still be alive. His fate wasn't to die, well not yet anyway. But if the Southerner's mouth worked overtime then Gertrude might change her mind. Ezra could die just as quickly as himself.
He wanted to press his back against the wall or floor to stop the remaining blood from leaving his body but he feared the filth that covered the cavern. He knew it was stupid to worry about an infection but he wasn't dead yet. He was going to fight although it would be a hopeless effort. He had no chance against the claws that held him prisoner. He needed a plan, something good, something sneaky and backhanded; he needed Ezra. Hell! What would Ezra do? He really had no idea. What would Buck Wilmington do if he was being held prisoner by a handful of faithful husbands who wanted to exact revenge on the man who caused their wives to become unfaithful. He still had no idea. So far, he'd been to good to get caught but good enough for the women to want to see him more than once. He had been happy to oblige them
A Werewolf guarded his prison. He wondered if it was still dark outside. When he was a kid, he used to watch the horror movies at the local theatre and in all the Werewolf films, the creature always turned back to human form during the day. He began to shift himself into a better position but froze when he heard the sound of gunshots. He prepared himself for a fight to save his life.
________________________________________
Gertrude Johnson stepped into the cave and watched the sleeping SPI agent. She knew about concussion and the handsome man before her was suffering from it. Maybe she should wait another day. She turned away to leave her prisoner to sleep but turned back when she sensed that he had woken and was now staring at her back. She turned back to him. His intense green eyes stared at her with hatred. She knew if he had the chance, he would kill her without hesitation. She also knew with confidence that he wouldn't be quick enough. She would slice his throat open before he could lift his arm.
"It's not that time already is it?" Ezra asked. He hadn't been given enough time to come up with a plan.
"I've decided to give you an extra day." She saw the frown crease his face, it only seemed to make him appear more handsome. "Your concussion, I thought you might need an extra day to get over it."
"What about Buck?"
"What about him."
"Does he get an extra day too?"
"I don't remember him getting a concussion or having the same fate as you Ezra." she smiled down at him.
"No but you broke his arm and had one of your goon's rip open his back." Ezra's eyes followed Gertrude's movements as she sat down in front of him and crossed her legs.
"Goon's?" she laughed at him. "There not goons sweetie."
"Werewolves then!" Ezra growled back at her lack of answers regarding Buck.
"Where do you get your ideas from?" she stopped laughing when she remembered that she was the one who had cried Werewolf. "They're not Werewolfs Ezra."
"Then what are they?" Ezra didn't know if he should believe her or not. If they weren't Werewolfs then what else could they be.
"They are my children." she watched as Ezra's mouth dropped open in shock. He closed it, opened it again to say something then shut it quickly. "I see you need me to explain." she patted her large thigh. "Why don't you get comfortable."
Ezra wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. Children. Then they must have had an ugly father like their mother. "Yes and no." was the only retort he could come up with under the circumstances.
"You'll change your mind later, if you don't, I'll change it for you."
It was a threat, he knew it but he didn't care, he preferred to die. He would have to stall for time first. He needed to find Buck then get the hell out of this prison before the she bitch decided she didn't want to wait any longer.
"I'm a witch, well I started out as a witch, and I’m now a shape changer." she explained to him.
"Shape changer?" the term sounded familiar to him.
"I have the ability to change shape." she was taking the opportunity to gloat. It wasn't often that she told other humans about her abilities.
"In to what?" Ezra regretted the question as soon as the smile grew on her face.
The scream was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He hoped that if Buck was still alive that he hadn't heard it. The terrifying sound may cause him to think that he was now dead, he might end up doing something that could result in the older man's death. Ezra didn't want that to happen. He wanted Buck to get out of this situation alive. Ezra knew how close Buck was to Chris and JD, the two men would be devastated by his death. His own didn't matter, he knew they could easily live without him. His death wouldn't upset them like Buck's would.
"Aw Hell!" Ezra yelled at his frustration as he pushed himself further into the rock wall behind him. He shouldn't be showing her his fear, she would enjoy the sight and know she had him were she wanted him.
"Like it?" she growled softly through the wolf like jaw that now filled the former human face. Her eyes were glowing, they were like burning torches. Smooth hair covered her face and the areas of her body that were not covered by clothes. The sight actually eased some of Ezra's fear. She was still wearing her clothes, they hadn't disappeared like in the movies. Her hands were claws, the nails long and sharp. The small human ears had turned into something else, they were like that of a wolf. Gertrude still sat cross-legged but she began to stand up to her full height. Ezra's fear returned. Even still fully dressed she was a terrifying sight. He watched as she changed back to human form.
"What the . . . ?" Ezra began but he shut his mouth very quickly.
"I'm a witch." she explained. "What would you say if I told you I was one hundred and twenty two years old?"
"I would say you don't look a day over one hundred and twenty three." Ezra grimaced. He didn't believe her.
"You'll wait." Gertrude growled at him. "I was a witch, used to repeat a spell to make myself change, and did it so often that after a while I could do it by just thinking it."
"So why are you telling me this?"
"You asked, remember."
Gunshots echoed through the caves causing Ezra to jerk in surprise and Gertrude to lean down and grab his injured arm. He cried out in pain as he was dragged out into the tunnel that led further into the caves. Ezra struggled and he fought hard against her grip, he even used his feet to try and get away from her. The sound of guns being fired meant that his fellow SPI agents were trying to rescue him and Buck.
Gertrude tired of Ezra's fight against her, she stopped and pulled him to face her. A clawed hand quickly wrapped itself around the Southerner's throat. She squeezed, the nails of her claws touched each other at the back of her victim's neck. She smiled as Ezra gasped for the air that wasn't allowed to enter his lungs. His face began to change colour as the lack of oxygen took it's toll on him. She held her grip when his legs began to buckle then picked him up when he collapsed into unconsciousness. Gertrude then began to move deeper into the cave.
________________________________________
Chris continued to look down at the motion detector he held in his hand. He knew the figures that showed on it were the other three members of SPIT7 and the backup that he had requested. They had waited too long, he knew it wasn't anyone's fault, they were too far from the equipment van. The two of them couldn't go in on their own. With more men there was a better chance of survival, they needed to search for Buck and Ezra. After they rescued their friends, they would then destroy the cave and hopefully every creature that hid in it.
None had come out while they waited and none had gone in. They continued to hope that things went their way. Chris was becoming impatient and agitated. He wanted to go in now but knew it would only result in two more deaths. He turned to face the area behind him, he saw movement and held his gun at the ready just in case. It wasn't necessary.
"Glad you could make it." Chris spoke quietly.
"Glad you invited us." Josiah replied as he knelt down next to his friend.
"You think they're in there?" JD asked after Vin pulled him down to the ground.
"Yes and that's where we are going." Chris informed them. "Vin let the sheriff know what we're doing then we'll go in." Vin nodded and moved away from them. "JD, I want you to place the explosives at the entrance of the cave and every fifty metres in. It has to be a big area inside to hold so many. Then come out, when you see us get out you set it off. Okay?"
"Yeah Chris." JD nodded.
"If you see those creatures first," Chris hesitated, he knew he was asking a lot of JD, the young man shouldn't have this sort of responsibility but he wasn't going to allow him to die either, "set if off." JD nodded again, he understood. Chris slapped him on the back then stood up when Vin returned.
"They know what they have to do. I told them what we were going up against but he doesn't believe me." Vin told him.
"Are they reliable?" Chris eyed the sheriff who was walking towards him.
"I don't know." Vin shrugged his shoulders.
"Sheriff." Chris shook his hand.
"Larabee isn't it?" The sheriff was near retiring age, he looked like a man that was just passing time. The type who wants to sit behind a desk all day to protect himself against the elements outside. He feared that a bullet would reach him before his last day at work.
"Yeah. Listen, what we're up against, it's not human. I know you find it hard to believe but I need to know that you and your men aren't going to run out on us when you see them." Chris stood with his hands on his hips and stared into the man's brown eyes. If he saw any sort of hesitation then he wouldn't allow him or his men to go with them.
"There animals. If they try to kill us then we'll defend ourselves. We won't run."
Chris saw only truth in the answer. "We're going in to look for two of our men and Gertrude Johnson, we need you to back us up and to protect our backs. Once we have them we get out. One of my men is going to set explosives and blow the place when we do. Got that?"
"Got it."
"Let’s go then."
Chris led the way, the others followed. His gun was held in front of him as he moved closer to the opening. He looked behind him at the men who were going to risk their lives to find people that may already be dead. But it was their job, they knew they would have to take risks like this when they were sworn in. He nodded to Vin who stood beside him. He stepped into what he thought would be darkness, he was prepared to use a torch but there was a source of light, something that made it easier for him to see where he was going. He continued to walk as he heard the footsteps that followed him.
He stopped when he saw a flash of movement in front of him. He waited until it was in full view of his sights. Chris heard the growl before the figure showed itself. He opened fired when enough of the creature became a target. Another creature showed itself. He heard Vin's gun open fire. It had started. Now their only hope was to find their friends and to get out alive. The gunshots reverberated throughout the caverns as Buck struggled to stand up. If the creature guarding him had any, sense he would come into the prison and kill him without a second thought and would then search for the source of the gunshots. He used his good hand and the wall behind him to get to his feet. He couldn't hide, all he could do was to stand against the wall and await his fate. He would die or his friends would find him. Buck knew they were the reason for the gunshots. Their friends hadn't given up on them.
Buck held his breath when the creature turned to him. This is it, life or death. He was ready to die, he knew it would happen one day. Maybe sooner because of the job he did everyday. He had gone face to face with things that weren't human and things that were. Sometimes the humans were more dangerous to deal with. He had actually come close to death when he was trying to help Chris Larabee deal with the death of his family. It was hard for his friend to accept and deal with their deaths, he had needed help to cope with it. Buck had to be hard and sometimes mean to his friend to get him through it. Chris had pulled a gun on him and fired it, the bullet had passed close enough to Buck's face for him to feel it's breath. That had been the turning point for Chris.
He pushed himself against the wall, he had forgotten his back. He yelled out in pain and the creature growled at him. He watched as it moved closer to him. Buck took a step towards it, he wasn't going to die without a fight. He growled back at the creature knowing it would do no good but he had to do something. He hoped that it would end like a clichè in the movies; just as the Werewolf was about to kill him his friends would arrive and shoot it dead and he would be left alive. Buck knew Chris and the others were in the caves looking for him, the gunshots proved that, but would they find him in time. He didn't know.
________________________________________
Vin and Chris were leading the way into the cave, it did go further like Chris had said. Three creatures had shown themselves but were quickly disposed of by Vin and Chris' guns. The long tunnel became silent but Vin knew there were still more. They reached a branch in the tunnel, it verged of to the left and right. They were going to have to split up. Vin didn't like the idea but he knew they wouldn't have a choice.
"I'll go left." Chris told him. "Josiah. You’re with me. Nathan you go to the right with Vin. Sheriff, you split up your men. Half of you will come with me, the other with Vin."
Vin looked at Chris, he knew what the man was thinking. None of us leave until we find them. Vin didn't really agree with that. Yes he wanted to find his two missing friends but not at the cost of other lives. If it came down to it, he would drag Chris out of there and deal with the consequences later. He knew Chris would rather die than live with the deaths of two friends. He nodded even though he knew his body language was a lie.
He only hesitated a moment before moving into the right tunnel with Nathan by his side. Six police officers followed them. Vin had every intention of getting each of them out alive. He stopped as gunfire erupted in the tunnel that had led to the left. He began to move again and as he did, a creature jumped out in front of him from an area to his left. He shot it before it could manage to kill him. He looked sideways at Nathan and took a deep breath to steady himself. He started moving again.
Vin could feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead in anticipation of the next creature showing itself. Something in his gut told him he was getting closer and so far, no human lives had been lost so he was prepared to keep going. They walked for what seemed like an eternity before they found an opening that led to a group of caverns. He knew they were going to check each one. The first one was empty but Vin knew it had once been occupied, there was a foul odor that indicated that something had died in there.
He stopped outside the next opening. He counted silently to three knowing that Nathan understood what he was doing and would also prepared himself to cover him when he went in. Vin went in sideways to make himself a smaller target and spun to his left when he heard the growl. A gun fired behind him and the creature went down. Another gun fired from behind him and took out the creature that was coming towards him from the right. Vin nodded his thanks to Nathan and the sheriff's deputy.
After scanning the small cave with his eyes he was satisfied that neither Buck or Ezra were there. There was also no sign of Gertrude Johnson. Vin nodded towards the next dark cavern. As he moved slowly towards it, his stomach began to turn in expectation. He stopped and took a breath to calm himself down. He watched as Nathan stepped past him and stood on the other side of the cavern. Nathan nodded, he was going to go in.
Vin motioned to him with his hand in agreement. He followed Nathan in and over his shoulder, he saw Buck Wilmington standing against the wall. A look of fear then relief filled his eyes as he stared at the creature in front of him and the men behind it. Nathan didn't wait for it to turn around. He would never shoot a person in the back and neither would any of the other members of SPIT7 but this was different. If Nathan had given it the chance to defend itself then it could have cost someone their lives. Nathan's bullet enter the back of the creature's skull, it then collapsed to the floor.
"Just like in the movies." Buck muttered as Vin and Nathan grabbed him before he could fall down.
"Where's Ezra?" Nathan asked him.
"I don't know. Gertrude took him somewhere." Buck informed them then gritted his teeth when Nathan pressed something against his back.
"Gertrude?" Vin questioned him.
"She's the leader of this lot, she's one of them." Buck growled.
"We have to get him out of here." Nathan ordered Vin. He wanted to continue looking for Ezra, he had to be close but Buck was injured and still losing blood. His friend needed medical attention. If Chris and Josiah came out without Ezra then they would go back in after him.
"Not without Ezra!" Buck growled at them. "I'm not leaving without Ezra!"
"Yes you are Buck. Chris and Josiah will find Ezra and bring him out." Vin told him. He didn't tell Buck that he wasn't confident that they would find him and their lives were more at risk now that Gertrude Johnson was the enemy.
"But Ezra needs me." Buck informed them.
"He needs all of us Buck." Nathan told him. "Chris will find him."
________________________________________
Chris had already taken out more creatures than he wanted to. He needed to see an end to it. He wanted to contact Vin to find out if they had had any success but they hadn't brought any communication devices with them. They wouldn't work with the interference that surrounded them. He was willing to die trying to find his friends but he didn't expect Josiah or the others with him to do the same. He would send them back and go on alone if their hope of finding their friends faded into the distance.
He stopped when he came to the end of the tunnel, there were no more turnoffs and no Ezra or Buck. Chris turned around to go back and he saw it. A small opening in the darkness to his right. Josiah came to stand next to him to see what Chris was looking at. He could feel the smile on his leader's face. This was where they had to be, unless Vin and Nathan had found them. Chris moved forward, he had to squeeze through the opening. Josiah was only just able to get through. A couple of deputies couldn't, they were sent back out.
The smaller group of men walked down the long tunnel, the taller men had to bend over slightly because the rock ceiling was too low. They had to walk in a row, the width of the tunnel was also small. It had become darker, their vision became poor. Chris knew they should turn back but he couldn't, he needed to find them. He wouldn't be able to go on without them. Too many people in his life had already suffered violent deaths.
________________________________________
Ezra awoke to tightness in his chest, he was having difficulty breathing. His throat was sure and he found it hard to swallow. He felt a hot breath against the side of his face. He knew who it was. It also meant that he wasn't dead yet but he somehow knew that Buck was. He refused to open his eyes. He couldn't stop the pain from showing on his face though. Something tried to push through his thoughts, he knew it was important so he didn't try to stop it. His eyes sprung opened when he remembered the gunshots he'd heard. His mind was a field of darkness after that.
"Make a noise and you’re dead Ezra." Gertrude warned him as she pressed down harder on his chest to try and keep him still.
Ezra believed her, he wasn't going to make a sound. Her claw would be quick and deadly. He didn't have any hope that his 'friends' would find him. He thought that once they found Buck they wouldn't put a lot of effort into finding him. He was going to be left to his fate. At least Buck would get a decent funeral.
"Do you understand me!" Her voice was a low growl but he understood what she was saying. He nodded that he did. "Good. Must be your friends out there come to rescue you but they won't find you, not here."
Again, Ezra believed her, there was not reason not too. He didn't want them to risk their lives trying to find him. He made a decision, he wasn't going to let her win.
"Get the hell off me!" Ezra yelled at her. He felt the hot pain in his throat as she grabbed him again. Her nails dug in and broke the skin that covered his flesh. Ezra could feel the warm blood as it began to trickle down his throat. "Get off . . . me." he began to kick with his legs and struggle under her grip. He ignored the pain that his body was feeling. He wanted a quick death and not the slow one that she had planned for him.
"Shut up!" she growled as she slapped his face hard.
Ezra grimaced at the pain on the side of his face. He knew she'd scratched his cheek open. This wasn't good, she didn't kill him quickly. His fate was still in her hands.
"No!" Ezra retorted.
The hand around his throat began to tighten like it had before. This time he wasn't sure if he was going to wake up. He tried to push her away but he couldn't. She was practically sitting on his chest. His broken ribs were rubbing together, sending bolts of pain to his brain. He wanted to scream but wouldn't give her the satisfaction. His mind finally registered the lack of gunfire. Either his associates were dead or they had stopped looking for him. He hoped for the latter but he was wrong. Lights began to dance in front of his eyes. His lungs fought for the air that would keep him alive but his throat was being forcefully constricted. Ezra felt the darkness coming for him, it was finally over.
________________________________________
Chris took off at a run when he heard Ezra's voice. He was alive and that also mean that Buck could be with him. Both men were not yet dead and he was going to make sure it stayed that way. He knew Josiah was right behind him. He wanted to move faster but the confinement of the small tunnel made it difficult. He finally came to the end where it broke out into a large cave. The sight before him scared him. The wolf like creature was hovering over Ezra. His friend wasn't moving, he was bleeding from the face and throat.
"Get away from him!" Chris yelled as he opened fire.
Gertrude had been too focused on trying to shut up her prisoner that she hadn't notice someone enter her domain. It was a mistake she had never made before or would make again. Her survival instincts should have told her they were close. She should have smelt them, heard their footsteps but the handsome man before her controlled her mind. She had wanted him more than any other man in her life and now he was going to be the cause of her death. She felt the first bullet enter her back. She howled in pain but the bullet that entered her brain ended her torment and Ezra's.
Josiah moved forward and dragged the wolf off Ezra. He knelt down next to his friend and put a hand to his throat. Josiah had expected the soft skin to be torn open but it wasn't, it was still intact. He felt for the pulse he hoped was still there. It was. Instead of saying anything, he lifted Ezra up into his arms and began to move towards the tunnel.
Chris stopped him and placed his palm against Ezra's forehead, he felt the heat of a fever, and it told him that he was still breathing. He nodded to Josiah and led the way out of the hellhole that had been Ezra's prison. He silently prayed that Vin and Nathan had found Buck and were also on their way out.
Josiah had to hand Ezra over to Chris. He couldn't move easily through the opening that had led them to Ezra. Chris was grateful, he needed to know that Ezra was still breathing even though he wasn't moving. Chris stopped when he heard gunfire. Josiah grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. They didn't have time to worry about Vin and Nathan and the others that were helping them. They had to get out before JD blew the opening to the caverns stopping anything from leaving.
________________________________________
JD had done as he was told and he now waited a short distance from the entrance to the cave. The explosives were ready go, he just had to wait until someone or something came out. He looked down at his watch, twenty minutes had passed. When he had heard the first bout of gunfire, he knew Chris and the others had run into trouble. But then the sound had ceased. He was afraid that the reason for that was the creatures. They had killed his friends. There had been gunfire since. He hated waiting. JD wanted to be in there with his friends. He wanted to be standing by them, protecting them as they looked for Buck and Ezra.
He had his gun in his right hand the device to blow the explosives in his left. The gun was there to kill any creatures that came through. He was only going to push the button to blow up the cave when the last breath was leaving his body. He was going to give the others every chance to get out of there. He lifted the gun when he heard something approaching and let out the breath he was holding when he saw Vin running through the false light to the outside world. Nathan was right behind him, his arm wrapped around Buck's waist. Some of the sheriff's deputies were right behind them.
He let out a whoop of enjoyment but held off running to his friend. He knew he had to wait for them to come out. He could see his friend was alive. That was enough for him. He looked over their shoulders to see if
Chris and Josiah were following them with Ezra. They weren't.
"Where are the others?" JD asked them as they fell to his side. He was able to change the direction of his concentration. The deputies were now watching the opening.
"Still in there." Vin looked over his shoulder at the cave opening.
"They'll come out just like you did." JD knew it. They had to come out.
"Vin call the medics, have them come up here. I don't want Buck walking or being carried back there."
Nathan had forced Buck to lie down on the ground. His healing hands checked him for any injuries that he couldn't see. Without warning, he pulled Buck's forearm and manipulated the bones back into place.
"What the hell did you do that for?" Buck grimaced against the pain.
"Needed to be done Buck." He laid the arm flat on the ground. "Don't move it. Vin get me something thick that I can use for splints." Vin hung up his mobile and began to look for what Nathan wanted. "JD give me your shirt." Nathan took it from him and folded it up into a thick bundle. He placed on Buck's back and pressed down hard. Buck moved under him but the movements soon stopped. "Buck?"
"I'm not talking to you." Buck growled at him.
"Bout time. You never shut up." JD smiled at his friend as he put his coat back on to protect himself against the chill in the air.
"Unless I was with a lady, now then I would . . . ow! Nathan what are you doing to me?"
"Nothin' you don't deserve." he told him.
"Have they come out yet?" Buck changed the subject that he was using to distract himself; just like he had done earlier in the cave with Ezra. If they didn't find Ezra alive, he wasn't going to forgive himself. It would be his fault that he hadn't survived. Hell, I sound just like Chris.
"They'll come." JD assured him. "We just have to keep waiting."
Nathan wrapped Buck's arm in the splints while he waited. He continued to feel his face knowing that an infection had already set in. The wound on his back was dirty and he had nothing to clean it with. But he wasn't too worried. Once he made it to the emergency room, they would start giving him antibiotics to clear up the infection. He was going to be fine. But he needed to know about Ezra and the others.
"How is Ezra Buck?" Nathan sat down next to him so he could look at his face.
"Concussion, and broken ribs the last time I saw him. We got separated." Buck answered him.
The sound of footsteps caused them all to look up, even Buck. They didn't see Chris or the others. More deputies came running out. They moved to the group of men that were by the entrance to the cave.
"What happened?" Vin demanded to know as he stood up.
"They went through a small opening, we couldn't fit so Larabee sent us out." a dark man told him. He looked down at his stomach to explain why they couldn't follow the others.
"Okay." He waited until they moved away. "I'm going in after them."
"No you’re not." Nathan told him. "What if you miss them, then someone else would have to go in after you. No, you wait like we have to wait."
Vin gave in and began to pace. He knew Nathan was right, if he went in there, he could end up running around in circles looking for Chris and the others. His eyes kept moving from Buck to the cave's opening. He didn't like the way Buck looked. The paramedics should be here any minute now and they would take Buck away. He hoped that the others got out so Ezra could go with them. He didn't know how badly he was hurt or if he was able to wait for more medical help. He looked down at his watch. It had been almost ten minutes since the deputies came out.
"Where the hell are they?" Vin saw something move just inside the entrance of the cave. He removed his gun from his holster and stepped closer to it. Nathan followed him. They held their guns at the ready just in case. Three creatures jumped out of the filtered darkness. Their quick reflexes caused the guns that they held to fire. Bullets struck the creatures but they kept coming. The humans had to take a step backwards as they continued to fire at their attackers. The creatures finally fell to the ground but something else was coming towards them.
"Don't fire!" Vin yelled and held his hand up.
What he saw wasn't more Werewolfs but Chris and the others. Josiah was leading them out of the cave. Chris was behind him and was carrying Ezra in his arms. "He doesn't look so good." Vin muttered to himself.
"There's more behind us!" Josiah yelled at him as he ran passed him.
"JD blow the bastards up. NOW!" Chris ordered him.
JD didn't hesitate. He lowered his finger onto the button and pressed it down. He then fell across Buck to protect him as the noise of the explosion sounded in his ears. Debris began to fall around them. It was only a matter of seconds before the dust began to settle.
"You okay Buck?" JD asked him.
"Yeah JD, I'm fine." Buck smiled through the pain. "Thanks."
JD got up and looked for the others, he wanted to make sure they were alright. Nathan and Vin were getting to their feet and moving towards Ezra who lay underneath Josiah and Chris. They had used their bodies to protect him from any further physical harm. JD waited with Buck for news on Ezra's condition.
"Chris, Josiah. You okay?" Nathan asked them as he helped Josiah to his feet.
"Yeah, fine. Ezra?" Chris knelt back down.
"Give me a minute to check him Chris." Nathan rolled Ezra onto his back and began to examine him.
"Broken ribs." he felt his head for the injury that would have caused the concussion that Buck had mentioned. He found it behind Ezra's left ear. "Possible concussion. Puncture wounds to his throat but they aren't deep, some pretty bad bruising though, don't know it there's been any damage done. Deep scratch marks to his left cheek. They're deep, they'll need stitching." He looked over Ezra's still form for a couple of more minutes. "Can't see anything else."
"The medics are on their way." Vin informed Chris. "Should be here any minute."
Chris nodded. "We didn't find Gertrude Johnson."
"You didn't have to, she was one of them." Vin looked down at Ezra. The ex-criminal's face was pale and sweating. At least he was alive.
"Why aren't I surprised." Chris smiled. "How's Buck?"
"He's okay. Deep scratches on his back, an infection has already started and his arm is broken." Nathan answered him. "Go and see him, I'll stay here with Ezra."
Chris nodded and moved away from the unconscious Southerner. He sat down when he reached Buck.
"Buck. Glad to see you again."
"Me too. What time is it?"
"Nearly five. Why?" Chris asked him.
"You interrupted dinner." Buck smiled. Just like the movies, saved in the nick of time.
________________________________________
He struggled against the hands, no they were claws that held him down. He wanted to scream at the sight of Buck lying beside him. It wasn't just his throat that had been torn open. His heart lay on his chest along side his lungs. The sight terrified him. the ghosts of the dead children surrounded them. If he got away from Gertrude, they would be waiting for him. He didn't know what to do. Maybe the ghost won't hurt him, they didn't before. He pushed himself away from the creature that was trying to kill him. He managed to escape and began to run.
Ezra didn't get far, the ghosts caused him to go in only one direction, they were pushing him to go somewhere he didn't want to go. He felt a huge relief when he saw Chris and the others standing a short distance from him. They were waving at him to hurry. He pushed himself to run faster but his legs froze when he saw the creatures come up behind his friends. He yelled a warning at them and they turned. They couldn't get away, the creatures attacked. There was nothing Ezra could do but to watch his friends die. He screamed.
"No!"
"Ezra!" Chris jumped up from the chair and used his strong arms to hold the Southerner down so he couldn't hurt himself. It was a few minutes before Ezra's struggles eased. "It's okay Ezra." he hoped his voice got through to his friend and calmed his troubled mind. He took the damp cloth from the bowl of water that sat on top of the set of drawers next to the hospital bed. He wiped the sweat from Ezra's face then sat back down again.
"He was having those when we were in that cave. I think that's what was troubling him before we took this case." Buck explained from his bed. His left arm was in plaster and strapped to his chest. A heavy bandage was wrapped around the wound on his back. His face was still flushed with a fever that filled his body but he refused to rest until Ezra had woken up.
"Did he tell you about them?" Chris asked him and then saw the expression on Buck's face. "Of course he didn't."
"You think you’re going to have any?" Nathan asked him.
"Yeah I reckon but I think Ezra saw some worse shit than I did in there." Buck answered.
"Buck?" Ezra grimaced against the pain he was feeling in his body. The voice of his friend had broken into the scary void he was in. He was now glad to be out of it.
"I'm over here Ezra." Buck smiled at Chris.
"Do I smell hospital sheets?"
"You do Ezra." Chris told him.
Ezra opened his eyes at the sound of Chris' voice. He saw the blue eyes of his leader looking down at him.
"You found us?"
"We found you and Buck." Chris nodded.
"Chris."
"Yeah Ezra?"
"I quit."
"Me too." Buck agreed with him.
Chris raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You’re both joking right, I mean you wouldn't leave after everything we've been through would you?"
"Till death do we part." Ezra smiled.
"We aren't married." Chris told him.
"Shame." Buck shrugged his good shoulder. "I could get a lot more women if I was married."
"Did you get them?" Ezra closed his eyes again. He was out of that hellhole but he knew his mind was still in there.
"We got them Ezra." JD told him.
"Is everyone here?"
"Everyone's here." Chris leaned forward. "You want to talk about it Ezra, what happened before this and what happened in there."
Ezra opened his eyes and green met blue. "No."
"You don't have to talk to me, you can talk to anyone of us or even someone else." Chris explained. Ezra looked across at Buck, he had gone through it with him. "You want to talk to Buck?"
Ezra nodded, he had to talk to someone, and he couldn't keep it all inside. He had to trust Buck and hope that he wasn't going to be disappointed in him or think he was weak for what his mind had been going through. He had to make a change and ignore his mother's lessons on life.
Buck watched as the others left them alone. He didn't want to push Ezra to talk so he thought the best thing to do was to wait. He had to wait a while before Ezra began to speak.
"I dream about the dead children that the cult murdered. They're in the woods chasing me. Making me go in a certain direction." Ezra told him.
"If we didn't find you where and when we did Ezra, you would have died. Maybe they were helping you." Buck suggested.
"How?"
"They led you to us."
Ezra frowned, he didn't realise Buck was this intelligent when it came to this sort of thing.
"I dated a psychologist once." Buck explained. "If they wanted to harm you they would have made sure you weren't found."
"I suppose I can think of it that way."
"I can arrange for you to see her if you like. She's really good and the others don't have to know about."
"Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that." Ezra looked at him then looked away. "I'm not good at this sort of stuff Buck, I don't trust people enough with my feelings."
"You can trust us Ezra." Buck smiled at the door. "So what when on in the cave when I was out or not there."
"I'm starting to believe that Buck." Ezra told him.
"You still want to quit?"
"For a couple of weeks at least." Ezra closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
Master Fan Fiction List
Rating: PG
Fandom: The Magnificent Seven
AU: Scientific Paranormal Investigations
Main Characters: Ezra, Buck and the rest.
Summary: The team investigate after a death is reported in Lufkin, Texas where the locals claim a Werewolf was the culprit.
Disclaimers: The guys are owned by CBS, MGM, Trilogy Entertainment Group, and The Mirisch Corp.
Spoilers: None
Status: Complete
Total Word Count: 30,509
"Buck! Buck!" Ezra jerked himself awake and ignored his own pain as it erupted in his side and shoulder.
"What!?" Buck was almost yelling at him.
"You okay?" Ezra could see the pain etched into his features.
"I would be if you stopped hitting my arm." he growled at him. He knew it wasn't Ezra's fault but he needed to be angry. If he wasn't angry then he would be scared. He was now but the anger held it back and allowed him to think.
"I'm not hitting you." Ezra retorted.
"How would you know, you were asleep and having a nightmare. You must have a concussion if you keep blacking out." Buck informed him. "Who were you fighting anyway?"
"The Gillian twins." Ezra smiled as he lied. Lying was the easiest thing in the world for him to do. He had been taught to lie from the day he was born.
"I didn't have to fight them to sleep with me." Buck gloated.
"You probably paid them." Ezra told him.
"I wish." Buck sighed. Humor wasn't going to help them, all they were trying to do was distract each other from the inevitable. "Have you thought of a way to get us out of here yet?"
"I've been sleeping. Have you remembered the way out of here?"
"I've been suffering an enormous amount of pain due to your physical infliction upon my person." Buck replied calmly in a very bad Southern accent.
Ezra raised an eyebrow at him. "That's my line."
"A person can learn a lot hanging around you." Buck paid Ezra a compliment.
"Was that an insult?" Ezra's tone was serious.
Buck rolled his eyes and turned away from him. He looked down at the ground beside his legs. He had looked around while Ezra had been asleep and had seen some of the things the ex-criminal had seen. He knew the body that now lay in the corner with the other bones had been freshly killed. There was a small pool of blood at the entrance of the cavern. Buck had wondered if Ezra had witnessed the kill, something in the pit of his stomach told him the younger man had. He looked up when he heard a growl. Gertrude Johnson walked into the small cavern. She carried a bowl and a small plate of food. She knelt down in front of Ezra and ignored the only other human in the cave.
"I've brought you some water and food sweetie."
"I don't want anything from you."
Buck groaned, he hoped this didn't result in another broken bone. He nudged the Southerner with his elbow to let him know about his concern. Ezra understood.
"I'm not hungry, I still feel sick from before." Ezra muttered.
"I'm sorry about that Ezra but you needed to see it so you could learn your lesson. You talk to much sometimes and I don't like to be insulted." Gertrude's voice held a threatening tone, she wanted Ezra to retaliate with words so she could hurt his friend again. Maybe she would do it anyway. She enjoyed inflicting pain.
Buck kept his mouth shut while he waited for Ezra to say something. This was always the time that his mouth worked overtime, when the rest of him was in serious danger. But Ezra didn't say anything. Buck realised it was because his life wasn't the only one in danger this time. Ezra wasn't going to give the bitch a chance to hurt Buck again. The electronics expert was grateful.
Ezra bit his lip and waited for her to leave before he spoke the words that had jumped from his brain to his mouth. "Where's a seven foot axe wielding maniac when you need one." "What does an axe wielding maniac have to do with any of this?" Buck turned his confused expression towards his friend.
"I'd rather go up against one than her." Ezra muttered.
"Uh huh." Buck nodded in understanding. He gritted his teeth against the pain as it pounded once again through his arm up to his brain. Each time this happened, it got worse. He was beginning to feel nauseas. He concentrated on trying to remember the way out of this hellhole. He looked sideways at Ezra, the man was asleep again. He must have hit the tree pretty hard Buck thought. He may have to come up with a plan to get out as well. He no longer thought Ezra was up to it. He thought the dreams he was suffering from and the hell he was going through was causing him to be very scared. If he was then Ezra would also have to be. Buck hoped his own death was going to be quick but he didn't think Ezra was going to be so lucky. His death was going to be long and painful.
He had to think of a way out but the enemy wasn't like anything they had dealt with before. They were predators, quick and deadly. They found it easy to kill and they would win any fight they were engaged in. He had a broken arm and Ezra's ribs were probably broken and it didn't help that his shoulder was dislocated. They couldn't physically force their way out of here. They had no weapons to defend themselves with. They had to fight Ezra's way, they had to cheat. Buck didn't really know how to, he would have to ask Ezra when he woke up.
Buck no longer had an idea what time it was. The small cavern was filled with a light that came from somewhere, maybe it was a way out. Time was either passing slowly or quickly. They could come for him or Ezra at any time. Maybe he could distract them while Ezra found his way out. He knew Ezra wouldn't allow that, for some reason the Southerner preferred to take all the risks, he didn't know why, it was as though he had a death wish. He had no idea why the younger man disregarded his own life so much. He thought he wasn't worth anything, that everyone else was more important than him. Unless that person was a bad guy.
He turned quickly when he heard Ezra moan, he was doing that a lot in his sleep. He wanted to know what the younger man was dreaming about. It obviously wasn't pleasant whatever it was. No names were mentioned, no places so he wasn't able to decipher the dream himself. But the dream wasn't important now, their lives were. He would worry about Ezra's nightmares if they managed to survive this hell. He was going to make sure they did.
The electronics expert and ladies man - well he thought he was - pushed himself up into a standing position. There was no longer a creature within sight but he knew one would be close by. He was going to find out how close. He used his left hand to undo one of his shirt buttons and placed his wrist into his shirt to support his arm. Buck looked down at Ezra and hoped it wasn't the last time he would see him. But then again if he died then they would have nothing to force Ezra to cooperate. They wouldn't be able to threaten him to get to Ezra. He smiled at the thought, Ezra's mouth would say what he thought and hopefully bring him a quick death, which would be caused by Gertrude's anger.
Buck took one-step forward and when there was no retaliation to the movement, he took another step, then another. He moved slowly and quietly. His mind's voice asking that Ezra didn't wake up, the Southerner might say something to give his plan away. He glanced back at Ezra, he smiled, and the last glance he took at the sleeping man wasn't the last. He continued to move forward until he reached the cavern entrance. A deep breath filled his lungs, he almost gagged at the smell but managed to hold the breath in. He glanced around the visible area beyond his reach. Nothing. He took another step forward. A quick glance to the left and right revealed nothing. No creatures guarded the prisoners. His first thought was that it was a trap. He didn't care. He moved as quickly as he could back to his friend.
"Ezra." his voice was low to begin with then he raised it slightly when Ezra didn't wake. "Ezra." He shook the smaller man until he elicited a groan of pain from him. The man's eyelids fluttered open.
"What . . . ?" Ezra murmured.
"We're getting out of here Ezra. Let's go." Buck used his good arm to pull Ezra towards him.
"But." Ezra started.
"But nothing Ezra, there aren't any creatures near by so we're going to make a break for it." Buck told him.
Ezra felt a surge of hope. He stood up and followed Buck out of their prison. He was glad to be rid of the sights he had witnessed in the cavern. He hesitated before moving after his friend. He needed to know where they were. They wouldn't have just left them. Gertrude wouldn't leave him to escape. "Do you know which way to go?" Ezra whispered.
"Of course I do." Buck lied.
Buck led the way through the tunnel that was surrounded by rock, it was a natural formation and not man made. They had to walk quietly so their footsteps on the stone beneath their feet didn't echo through the taverns. The creatures would easily pick up the sound. He looked at the walls of rock as he passed by them hoping to see something that was familiar, he thought the outcrop of stone in front of him was familiar. He followed it around to the right. He heard a shuffling sound and stopped. His hand went out behind him to stop Ezra from walking into him.
Ezra saw the hand before he felt it. He wasn't sure where the sound they had heard came from. They waited but the noise didn't sound a second time. The Southerner took another step when Buck moved forward again. He kept expecting to run into one of the creatures that were going to devour Buck Wilmington for dinner. If that was the case, he would have to do something that would anger them enough to kill him as well. He wouldn't be able to cope if he had to witness Buck's death and then be forced to watch them eat him. No one could cope with that.
"Ezra." Buck whispered.
Ezra realised he'd stopped moving, he knew it was fear. It hadn't left him since he listened to Gertrude's order to bring the creature that had harmed him to her. It had also grown with each nightmare he had suffered from since his injury. The fear wasn't aimed towards himself though, he was afraid for Buck. His own death didn't worry him, he expected it to happen at any time. He'd made some enemies in his life of crime and threats had been made against his life. There had been two attempts already. He started moving again.
Both men stopped when they heard a chuckle. They knew what it meant. It had been a trap, they were playing with them. The laughter became louder. Ezra recognised it as Gerturde's laugh. He watched as Buck desperately searched for a way out. It was futile. Creatures appeared in front of them and behind them.
"Trying to escape were we?" Gertrude asked as the creatures parted for her arrival.
"Only because you let us." Ezra retorted.
A clawed fist raised itself to strike him but a feral growl stopped the creature from inflicting the blow. Gertrude moved forward and nodded her head towards Buck. The fist finally came down.
"No!" Ezra yelled.
There was nothing he could do. He watched as Buck turned to protect himself against the blow. The claw struck his back instead of his chest. The nails tore through his flesh and scraped against bone. Ezra closed his eyes to the sound of Buck's cry of pain.
"If you kill him I will never do what you want." Ezra's accent had become thicker as he yelled his threat to the leader of the pack.
"Fine." Gertrude shrugged her shoulders. "Take them." She moved away and began muttering to herself.
"We were only having fun anyway. But it seems Ezra doesn't have a sense of humor. Maybe he will later when we do kill his friend. I'll think I'll wait until after I have my fun with Ezra then I'll kill his friend in front of him. Better than making pumpkin pie any day."
"She is one sick woman." Ezra retorted. He didn't hear her ramblings.
Ezra leant down to help Buck but he was pulled away from him. He was pulled back towards the prison they thought they had escaped from. He struggled but their grip was firm. They had refused to touch his left arm, they knew it was damaged and touching it would inflict pain. They feared their master too much to risk that. He tried to turn his head to see what was happening to Buck. He couldn't be sure that Gertrude hadn't lied to him. He heard a grunt of pain and the sound of what he thought was dragging feet. He was roughly turned around and he was aware of different surroundings. He wasn't being taken back to the small cavern that he had originally been held in.
"What about Buck? Where are you taking Buck?" Ezra demanded to know.
He didn't receive an answer. They continued to drag him further into the cave. How was he going to know whether Buck was alive or dead if they were now separated. He was pushed into a larger cavern. He tried to get back out but he was pushed further into the cave. He gave up, what else he could do against them. He looked around at his new prison, it was cleaner than the last one. No bones littered the room. There was no bedding that smelt of stale urine. He moved to the wall and sat down. He grimaced as his ribs protested. The worry that he felt for Buck took control of his fear. He knew that it would soon turn to anger at his hopeless situation. He would have to do something at some point or he would end up regretting it. He had to think of a way to get back to Buck and help him to get out even if he didn't make it himself.
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The creature stopped, hesitated then entered what looked like a small cave. The opening was at the base of a large hill that was covered by small trees. It was well hidden from view. An odor crept out from the animal's cave, it was the smell of death. The stench may have stopped people from getting too close that may be the reason they had never been found.
"If Buck and Ezra are anywhere, it's in there." Chris stood close to Vin so he didn't need to raise his voice.
"Phone the others, let them know where we are and which direction to come."
"Sure." Vin just hoped they wouldn't be wasting their time or their lives if they went in there to look for the two men.
"We need a plan." Chris told him when he hung up the mobile. "Give me that." Chris took the phone from
Vin and hit the redial button. "Go to the van first, I want you to get something for me."
Vin smiled as the plan that had grown in Chris' mind revealed itself to him. "That'll work."
"Yeah, but we have to get them out of there first." Chris answered him. He was sure it was going to be the only way to make sure the creatures were either dead or not coming out again.
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Buck woke to feel the pain that tore at his back. He moaned as the memory of what happened came back to him. He could feel the claw as it ripped open his back. It had torn through his buckskin jacket and shirt. Both objects were now ruined. They would be soaked with his blood. He twisted onto his side so he could look for Ezra. He had become concerned when he didn't hear his voice. He expected the Southerner to make some sort of comment when he woke up.
"Ezra?" He couldn't see him. He forced himself to sit up. "Ezra?" His brown eyes searched the small cavern.
Ezra wasn't with him. He was alone which meant that Ezra was also alone. That's if he wasn't dead. "Oh god." He hoped that Gertrude didn't have him. He was unaware of how long he'd been unconscious for. He laid back down on his right side, the wound was to his left shoulder. There was nothing he could do about the wound. His only hope was that it had stopped bleeding. If it continued to bleed then he would die without medical intervention.
He realised he had been returned to the same cave he had escaped from. A quick glance to the opening told him that there was a creature guarding him once more. There was no hope to escape, he wasn't willing to leave Ezra behind. The thought caused his mind to drift towards Ezra. He wanted to be with Ezra, to help him through this traumatic time, they would be able to help each other. He also began to think about his friends. He wondered if he would ever see them again. His worse fear about death was dying before he could say good-bye to Chris, JD and the others. He knew JD would take his death hard, Chris also but he knew that they had Vin, Nathan and Josiah to help them get through it. He should have said good-bye to Ezra when he had the chance. Now he was going to die alone, so would Ezra. He didn't hold any hope that the others would find them and if they did, they wouldn't be able to get past the creatures. And they didn't know about Gertrude. If they met her first then they would probably die before he and Ezra did.
He silently wished that Chris had accepted their deaths and not come after them. He knew the effort to emancipate them would only result in their deaths. He didn't want the entire team to die. Buck felt his blood run cold when he heard a scream. He knew it was human but the distortion caused by the rock walls made it hard for him to decide if it was Ezra's scream or not. He felt the cold fear as it gripped his heart. If it wasn't Ezra then it could be one of the others. He curled himself up into a ball and stared at the entrance to his prison. If it was one of the others then they would be joining him shortly. Either alive or dead. If it was Ezra, he hoped his death had been quick.
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Ezra wanted to get up and pace the larger prison but he didn't dare move from the position he was now in. He had a clear view of the entrance to the cavern and the creature that guarded it. He forced himself not to think of Buck and what might be happening to him. He could have been dinner by now for all he knew. But he didn't know and that was the worse part. He had begun to like Buck and the others, they had a way of growing on you, like a weed but even some weeds are nice. He had tried to push them away from the start because he didn't think he was going to last. Either his mother would see to that or Chris would decide he wasn't worth keeping around. It had happened before and will happen again but he'd been with the team for six months now. He decided that if he was going to be kicked out it would have been by now. Maybe they were going to allow him to stay. Sometimes their efforts to get close to him were quite funny to watch.
He pushed himself closer to the wall and welcomed the pain it caused in his shoulder and side, it was the one thing that was able to slow down the terrifying images that entered his mind. A camera flashed, displaying an image that he didn't want to see. Buck was dying, his throat had been slashed and the blood that helped to sustain his life poured from his body. Ezra could hear his friend's heartbeat pounding in his own ears, he could sense the fear and his fear began to build when he heard the heartbeat slow down. The sound of Buck's heartbeat continued to slow until it came to a complete stop.
Ezra bit down the fear that threatened to leave him verbally. He wanted to cut out the fear and replace it with control. If he was in control then he would be able to think of a way out of this hellhole. He would have to look for Buck, he would need to know if he was dead or alive. Either way he would take him with him. If he was dead then he would need a decent burial, if he was alive then he would need medical attention. He closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the images that flashed in his mind. Ezra began to breath deeply as he decided to take control of his situation. Gertrude Johnson was not going to get the better of Ezra Standish. He felt himself begin to calm down, the fear took a backward seat as his mind began to tick over. Now he just needed to come up with a plan.
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Buck knew he needed to do something about his back. The flow of blood had eased but he could still feel the warm liquid trickling down his back. It was soaking his shirt and the band of his jeans. The smell of his own blood mixed with the other odors in the cavern. At least he could afford to worry about himself. He knew Ezra would still be alive. His fate wasn't to die, well not yet anyway. But if the Southerner's mouth worked overtime then Gertrude might change her mind. Ezra could die just as quickly as himself.
He wanted to press his back against the wall or floor to stop the remaining blood from leaving his body but he feared the filth that covered the cavern. He knew it was stupid to worry about an infection but he wasn't dead yet. He was going to fight although it would be a hopeless effort. He had no chance against the claws that held him prisoner. He needed a plan, something good, something sneaky and backhanded; he needed Ezra. Hell! What would Ezra do? He really had no idea. What would Buck Wilmington do if he was being held prisoner by a handful of faithful husbands who wanted to exact revenge on the man who caused their wives to become unfaithful. He still had no idea. So far, he'd been to good to get caught but good enough for the women to want to see him more than once. He had been happy to oblige them
A Werewolf guarded his prison. He wondered if it was still dark outside. When he was a kid, he used to watch the horror movies at the local theatre and in all the Werewolf films, the creature always turned back to human form during the day. He began to shift himself into a better position but froze when he heard the sound of gunshots. He prepared himself for a fight to save his life.
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Gertrude Johnson stepped into the cave and watched the sleeping SPI agent. She knew about concussion and the handsome man before her was suffering from it. Maybe she should wait another day. She turned away to leave her prisoner to sleep but turned back when she sensed that he had woken and was now staring at her back. She turned back to him. His intense green eyes stared at her with hatred. She knew if he had the chance, he would kill her without hesitation. She also knew with confidence that he wouldn't be quick enough. She would slice his throat open before he could lift his arm.
"It's not that time already is it?" Ezra asked. He hadn't been given enough time to come up with a plan.
"I've decided to give you an extra day." She saw the frown crease his face, it only seemed to make him appear more handsome. "Your concussion, I thought you might need an extra day to get over it."
"What about Buck?"
"What about him."
"Does he get an extra day too?"
"I don't remember him getting a concussion or having the same fate as you Ezra." she smiled down at him.
"No but you broke his arm and had one of your goon's rip open his back." Ezra's eyes followed Gertrude's movements as she sat down in front of him and crossed her legs.
"Goon's?" she laughed at him. "There not goons sweetie."
"Werewolves then!" Ezra growled back at her lack of answers regarding Buck.
"Where do you get your ideas from?" she stopped laughing when she remembered that she was the one who had cried Werewolf. "They're not Werewolfs Ezra."
"Then what are they?" Ezra didn't know if he should believe her or not. If they weren't Werewolfs then what else could they be.
"They are my children." she watched as Ezra's mouth dropped open in shock. He closed it, opened it again to say something then shut it quickly. "I see you need me to explain." she patted her large thigh. "Why don't you get comfortable."
Ezra wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. Children. Then they must have had an ugly father like their mother. "Yes and no." was the only retort he could come up with under the circumstances.
"You'll change your mind later, if you don't, I'll change it for you."
It was a threat, he knew it but he didn't care, he preferred to die. He would have to stall for time first. He needed to find Buck then get the hell out of this prison before the she bitch decided she didn't want to wait any longer.
"I'm a witch, well I started out as a witch, and I’m now a shape changer." she explained to him.
"Shape changer?" the term sounded familiar to him.
"I have the ability to change shape." she was taking the opportunity to gloat. It wasn't often that she told other humans about her abilities.
"In to what?" Ezra regretted the question as soon as the smile grew on her face.
The scream was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He hoped that if Buck was still alive that he hadn't heard it. The terrifying sound may cause him to think that he was now dead, he might end up doing something that could result in the older man's death. Ezra didn't want that to happen. He wanted Buck to get out of this situation alive. Ezra knew how close Buck was to Chris and JD, the two men would be devastated by his death. His own didn't matter, he knew they could easily live without him. His death wouldn't upset them like Buck's would.
"Aw Hell!" Ezra yelled at his frustration as he pushed himself further into the rock wall behind him. He shouldn't be showing her his fear, she would enjoy the sight and know she had him were she wanted him.
"Like it?" she growled softly through the wolf like jaw that now filled the former human face. Her eyes were glowing, they were like burning torches. Smooth hair covered her face and the areas of her body that were not covered by clothes. The sight actually eased some of Ezra's fear. She was still wearing her clothes, they hadn't disappeared like in the movies. Her hands were claws, the nails long and sharp. The small human ears had turned into something else, they were like that of a wolf. Gertrude still sat cross-legged but she began to stand up to her full height. Ezra's fear returned. Even still fully dressed she was a terrifying sight. He watched as she changed back to human form.
"What the . . . ?" Ezra began but he shut his mouth very quickly.
"I'm a witch." she explained. "What would you say if I told you I was one hundred and twenty two years old?"
"I would say you don't look a day over one hundred and twenty three." Ezra grimaced. He didn't believe her.
"You'll wait." Gertrude growled at him. "I was a witch, used to repeat a spell to make myself change, and did it so often that after a while I could do it by just thinking it."
"So why are you telling me this?"
"You asked, remember."
Gunshots echoed through the caves causing Ezra to jerk in surprise and Gertrude to lean down and grab his injured arm. He cried out in pain as he was dragged out into the tunnel that led further into the caves. Ezra struggled and he fought hard against her grip, he even used his feet to try and get away from her. The sound of guns being fired meant that his fellow SPI agents were trying to rescue him and Buck.
Gertrude tired of Ezra's fight against her, she stopped and pulled him to face her. A clawed hand quickly wrapped itself around the Southerner's throat. She squeezed, the nails of her claws touched each other at the back of her victim's neck. She smiled as Ezra gasped for the air that wasn't allowed to enter his lungs. His face began to change colour as the lack of oxygen took it's toll on him. She held her grip when his legs began to buckle then picked him up when he collapsed into unconsciousness. Gertrude then began to move deeper into the cave.
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Chris continued to look down at the motion detector he held in his hand. He knew the figures that showed on it were the other three members of SPIT7 and the backup that he had requested. They had waited too long, he knew it wasn't anyone's fault, they were too far from the equipment van. The two of them couldn't go in on their own. With more men there was a better chance of survival, they needed to search for Buck and Ezra. After they rescued their friends, they would then destroy the cave and hopefully every creature that hid in it.
None had come out while they waited and none had gone in. They continued to hope that things went their way. Chris was becoming impatient and agitated. He wanted to go in now but knew it would only result in two more deaths. He turned to face the area behind him, he saw movement and held his gun at the ready just in case. It wasn't necessary.
"Glad you could make it." Chris spoke quietly.
"Glad you invited us." Josiah replied as he knelt down next to his friend.
"You think they're in there?" JD asked after Vin pulled him down to the ground.
"Yes and that's where we are going." Chris informed them. "Vin let the sheriff know what we're doing then we'll go in." Vin nodded and moved away from them. "JD, I want you to place the explosives at the entrance of the cave and every fifty metres in. It has to be a big area inside to hold so many. Then come out, when you see us get out you set it off. Okay?"
"Yeah Chris." JD nodded.
"If you see those creatures first," Chris hesitated, he knew he was asking a lot of JD, the young man shouldn't have this sort of responsibility but he wasn't going to allow him to die either, "set if off." JD nodded again, he understood. Chris slapped him on the back then stood up when Vin returned.
"They know what they have to do. I told them what we were going up against but he doesn't believe me." Vin told him.
"Are they reliable?" Chris eyed the sheriff who was walking towards him.
"I don't know." Vin shrugged his shoulders.
"Sheriff." Chris shook his hand.
"Larabee isn't it?" The sheriff was near retiring age, he looked like a man that was just passing time. The type who wants to sit behind a desk all day to protect himself against the elements outside. He feared that a bullet would reach him before his last day at work.
"Yeah. Listen, what we're up against, it's not human. I know you find it hard to believe but I need to know that you and your men aren't going to run out on us when you see them." Chris stood with his hands on his hips and stared into the man's brown eyes. If he saw any sort of hesitation then he wouldn't allow him or his men to go with them.
"There animals. If they try to kill us then we'll defend ourselves. We won't run."
Chris saw only truth in the answer. "We're going in to look for two of our men and Gertrude Johnson, we need you to back us up and to protect our backs. Once we have them we get out. One of my men is going to set explosives and blow the place when we do. Got that?"
"Got it."
"Let’s go then."
Chris led the way, the others followed. His gun was held in front of him as he moved closer to the opening. He looked behind him at the men who were going to risk their lives to find people that may already be dead. But it was their job, they knew they would have to take risks like this when they were sworn in. He nodded to Vin who stood beside him. He stepped into what he thought would be darkness, he was prepared to use a torch but there was a source of light, something that made it easier for him to see where he was going. He continued to walk as he heard the footsteps that followed him.
He stopped when he saw a flash of movement in front of him. He waited until it was in full view of his sights. Chris heard the growl before the figure showed itself. He opened fired when enough of the creature became a target. Another creature showed itself. He heard Vin's gun open fire. It had started. Now their only hope was to find their friends and to get out alive. The gunshots reverberated throughout the caverns as Buck struggled to stand up. If the creature guarding him had any, sense he would come into the prison and kill him without a second thought and would then search for the source of the gunshots. He used his good hand and the wall behind him to get to his feet. He couldn't hide, all he could do was to stand against the wall and await his fate. He would die or his friends would find him. Buck knew they were the reason for the gunshots. Their friends hadn't given up on them.
Buck held his breath when the creature turned to him. This is it, life or death. He was ready to die, he knew it would happen one day. Maybe sooner because of the job he did everyday. He had gone face to face with things that weren't human and things that were. Sometimes the humans were more dangerous to deal with. He had actually come close to death when he was trying to help Chris Larabee deal with the death of his family. It was hard for his friend to accept and deal with their deaths, he had needed help to cope with it. Buck had to be hard and sometimes mean to his friend to get him through it. Chris had pulled a gun on him and fired it, the bullet had passed close enough to Buck's face for him to feel it's breath. That had been the turning point for Chris.
He pushed himself against the wall, he had forgotten his back. He yelled out in pain and the creature growled at him. He watched as it moved closer to him. Buck took a step towards it, he wasn't going to die without a fight. He growled back at the creature knowing it would do no good but he had to do something. He hoped that it would end like a clichè in the movies; just as the Werewolf was about to kill him his friends would arrive and shoot it dead and he would be left alive. Buck knew Chris and the others were in the caves looking for him, the gunshots proved that, but would they find him in time. He didn't know.
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Vin and Chris were leading the way into the cave, it did go further like Chris had said. Three creatures had shown themselves but were quickly disposed of by Vin and Chris' guns. The long tunnel became silent but Vin knew there were still more. They reached a branch in the tunnel, it verged of to the left and right. They were going to have to split up. Vin didn't like the idea but he knew they wouldn't have a choice.
"I'll go left." Chris told him. "Josiah. You’re with me. Nathan you go to the right with Vin. Sheriff, you split up your men. Half of you will come with me, the other with Vin."
Vin looked at Chris, he knew what the man was thinking. None of us leave until we find them. Vin didn't really agree with that. Yes he wanted to find his two missing friends but not at the cost of other lives. If it came down to it, he would drag Chris out of there and deal with the consequences later. He knew Chris would rather die than live with the deaths of two friends. He nodded even though he knew his body language was a lie.
He only hesitated a moment before moving into the right tunnel with Nathan by his side. Six police officers followed them. Vin had every intention of getting each of them out alive. He stopped as gunfire erupted in the tunnel that had led to the left. He began to move again and as he did, a creature jumped out in front of him from an area to his left. He shot it before it could manage to kill him. He looked sideways at Nathan and took a deep breath to steady himself. He started moving again.
Vin could feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead in anticipation of the next creature showing itself. Something in his gut told him he was getting closer and so far, no human lives had been lost so he was prepared to keep going. They walked for what seemed like an eternity before they found an opening that led to a group of caverns. He knew they were going to check each one. The first one was empty but Vin knew it had once been occupied, there was a foul odor that indicated that something had died in there.
He stopped outside the next opening. He counted silently to three knowing that Nathan understood what he was doing and would also prepared himself to cover him when he went in. Vin went in sideways to make himself a smaller target and spun to his left when he heard the growl. A gun fired behind him and the creature went down. Another gun fired from behind him and took out the creature that was coming towards him from the right. Vin nodded his thanks to Nathan and the sheriff's deputy.
After scanning the small cave with his eyes he was satisfied that neither Buck or Ezra were there. There was also no sign of Gertrude Johnson. Vin nodded towards the next dark cavern. As he moved slowly towards it, his stomach began to turn in expectation. He stopped and took a breath to calm himself down. He watched as Nathan stepped past him and stood on the other side of the cavern. Nathan nodded, he was going to go in.
Vin motioned to him with his hand in agreement. He followed Nathan in and over his shoulder, he saw Buck Wilmington standing against the wall. A look of fear then relief filled his eyes as he stared at the creature in front of him and the men behind it. Nathan didn't wait for it to turn around. He would never shoot a person in the back and neither would any of the other members of SPIT7 but this was different. If Nathan had given it the chance to defend itself then it could have cost someone their lives. Nathan's bullet enter the back of the creature's skull, it then collapsed to the floor.
"Just like in the movies." Buck muttered as Vin and Nathan grabbed him before he could fall down.
"Where's Ezra?" Nathan asked him.
"I don't know. Gertrude took him somewhere." Buck informed them then gritted his teeth when Nathan pressed something against his back.
"Gertrude?" Vin questioned him.
"She's the leader of this lot, she's one of them." Buck growled.
"We have to get him out of here." Nathan ordered Vin. He wanted to continue looking for Ezra, he had to be close but Buck was injured and still losing blood. His friend needed medical attention. If Chris and Josiah came out without Ezra then they would go back in after him.
"Not without Ezra!" Buck growled at them. "I'm not leaving without Ezra!"
"Yes you are Buck. Chris and Josiah will find Ezra and bring him out." Vin told him. He didn't tell Buck that he wasn't confident that they would find him and their lives were more at risk now that Gertrude Johnson was the enemy.
"But Ezra needs me." Buck informed them.
"He needs all of us Buck." Nathan told him. "Chris will find him."
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Chris had already taken out more creatures than he wanted to. He needed to see an end to it. He wanted to contact Vin to find out if they had had any success but they hadn't brought any communication devices with them. They wouldn't work with the interference that surrounded them. He was willing to die trying to find his friends but he didn't expect Josiah or the others with him to do the same. He would send them back and go on alone if their hope of finding their friends faded into the distance.
He stopped when he came to the end of the tunnel, there were no more turnoffs and no Ezra or Buck. Chris turned around to go back and he saw it. A small opening in the darkness to his right. Josiah came to stand next to him to see what Chris was looking at. He could feel the smile on his leader's face. This was where they had to be, unless Vin and Nathan had found them. Chris moved forward, he had to squeeze through the opening. Josiah was only just able to get through. A couple of deputies couldn't, they were sent back out.
The smaller group of men walked down the long tunnel, the taller men had to bend over slightly because the rock ceiling was too low. They had to walk in a row, the width of the tunnel was also small. It had become darker, their vision became poor. Chris knew they should turn back but he couldn't, he needed to find them. He wouldn't be able to go on without them. Too many people in his life had already suffered violent deaths.
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Ezra awoke to tightness in his chest, he was having difficulty breathing. His throat was sure and he found it hard to swallow. He felt a hot breath against the side of his face. He knew who it was. It also meant that he wasn't dead yet but he somehow knew that Buck was. He refused to open his eyes. He couldn't stop the pain from showing on his face though. Something tried to push through his thoughts, he knew it was important so he didn't try to stop it. His eyes sprung opened when he remembered the gunshots he'd heard. His mind was a field of darkness after that.
"Make a noise and you’re dead Ezra." Gertrude warned him as she pressed down harder on his chest to try and keep him still.
Ezra believed her, he wasn't going to make a sound. Her claw would be quick and deadly. He didn't have any hope that his 'friends' would find him. He thought that once they found Buck they wouldn't put a lot of effort into finding him. He was going to be left to his fate. At least Buck would get a decent funeral.
"Do you understand me!" Her voice was a low growl but he understood what she was saying. He nodded that he did. "Good. Must be your friends out there come to rescue you but they won't find you, not here."
Again, Ezra believed her, there was not reason not too. He didn't want them to risk their lives trying to find him. He made a decision, he wasn't going to let her win.
"Get the hell off me!" Ezra yelled at her. He felt the hot pain in his throat as she grabbed him again. Her nails dug in and broke the skin that covered his flesh. Ezra could feel the warm blood as it began to trickle down his throat. "Get off . . . me." he began to kick with his legs and struggle under her grip. He ignored the pain that his body was feeling. He wanted a quick death and not the slow one that she had planned for him.
"Shut up!" she growled as she slapped his face hard.
Ezra grimaced at the pain on the side of his face. He knew she'd scratched his cheek open. This wasn't good, she didn't kill him quickly. His fate was still in her hands.
"No!" Ezra retorted.
The hand around his throat began to tighten like it had before. This time he wasn't sure if he was going to wake up. He tried to push her away but he couldn't. She was practically sitting on his chest. His broken ribs were rubbing together, sending bolts of pain to his brain. He wanted to scream but wouldn't give her the satisfaction. His mind finally registered the lack of gunfire. Either his associates were dead or they had stopped looking for him. He hoped for the latter but he was wrong. Lights began to dance in front of his eyes. His lungs fought for the air that would keep him alive but his throat was being forcefully constricted. Ezra felt the darkness coming for him, it was finally over.
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Chris took off at a run when he heard Ezra's voice. He was alive and that also mean that Buck could be with him. Both men were not yet dead and he was going to make sure it stayed that way. He knew Josiah was right behind him. He wanted to move faster but the confinement of the small tunnel made it difficult. He finally came to the end where it broke out into a large cave. The sight before him scared him. The wolf like creature was hovering over Ezra. His friend wasn't moving, he was bleeding from the face and throat.
"Get away from him!" Chris yelled as he opened fire.
Gertrude had been too focused on trying to shut up her prisoner that she hadn't notice someone enter her domain. It was a mistake she had never made before or would make again. Her survival instincts should have told her they were close. She should have smelt them, heard their footsteps but the handsome man before her controlled her mind. She had wanted him more than any other man in her life and now he was going to be the cause of her death. She felt the first bullet enter her back. She howled in pain but the bullet that entered her brain ended her torment and Ezra's.
Josiah moved forward and dragged the wolf off Ezra. He knelt down next to his friend and put a hand to his throat. Josiah had expected the soft skin to be torn open but it wasn't, it was still intact. He felt for the pulse he hoped was still there. It was. Instead of saying anything, he lifted Ezra up into his arms and began to move towards the tunnel.
Chris stopped him and placed his palm against Ezra's forehead, he felt the heat of a fever, and it told him that he was still breathing. He nodded to Josiah and led the way out of the hellhole that had been Ezra's prison. He silently prayed that Vin and Nathan had found Buck and were also on their way out.
Josiah had to hand Ezra over to Chris. He couldn't move easily through the opening that had led them to Ezra. Chris was grateful, he needed to know that Ezra was still breathing even though he wasn't moving. Chris stopped when he heard gunfire. Josiah grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. They didn't have time to worry about Vin and Nathan and the others that were helping them. They had to get out before JD blew the opening to the caverns stopping anything from leaving.
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JD had done as he was told and he now waited a short distance from the entrance to the cave. The explosives were ready go, he just had to wait until someone or something came out. He looked down at his watch, twenty minutes had passed. When he had heard the first bout of gunfire, he knew Chris and the others had run into trouble. But then the sound had ceased. He was afraid that the reason for that was the creatures. They had killed his friends. There had been gunfire since. He hated waiting. JD wanted to be in there with his friends. He wanted to be standing by them, protecting them as they looked for Buck and Ezra.
He had his gun in his right hand the device to blow the explosives in his left. The gun was there to kill any creatures that came through. He was only going to push the button to blow up the cave when the last breath was leaving his body. He was going to give the others every chance to get out of there. He lifted the gun when he heard something approaching and let out the breath he was holding when he saw Vin running through the false light to the outside world. Nathan was right behind him, his arm wrapped around Buck's waist. Some of the sheriff's deputies were right behind them.
He let out a whoop of enjoyment but held off running to his friend. He knew he had to wait for them to come out. He could see his friend was alive. That was enough for him. He looked over their shoulders to see if
Chris and Josiah were following them with Ezra. They weren't.
"Where are the others?" JD asked them as they fell to his side. He was able to change the direction of his concentration. The deputies were now watching the opening.
"Still in there." Vin looked over his shoulder at the cave opening.
"They'll come out just like you did." JD knew it. They had to come out.
"Vin call the medics, have them come up here. I don't want Buck walking or being carried back there."
Nathan had forced Buck to lie down on the ground. His healing hands checked him for any injuries that he couldn't see. Without warning, he pulled Buck's forearm and manipulated the bones back into place.
"What the hell did you do that for?" Buck grimaced against the pain.
"Needed to be done Buck." He laid the arm flat on the ground. "Don't move it. Vin get me something thick that I can use for splints." Vin hung up his mobile and began to look for what Nathan wanted. "JD give me your shirt." Nathan took it from him and folded it up into a thick bundle. He placed on Buck's back and pressed down hard. Buck moved under him but the movements soon stopped. "Buck?"
"I'm not talking to you." Buck growled at him.
"Bout time. You never shut up." JD smiled at his friend as he put his coat back on to protect himself against the chill in the air.
"Unless I was with a lady, now then I would . . . ow! Nathan what are you doing to me?"
"Nothin' you don't deserve." he told him.
"Have they come out yet?" Buck changed the subject that he was using to distract himself; just like he had done earlier in the cave with Ezra. If they didn't find Ezra alive, he wasn't going to forgive himself. It would be his fault that he hadn't survived. Hell, I sound just like Chris.
"They'll come." JD assured him. "We just have to keep waiting."
Nathan wrapped Buck's arm in the splints while he waited. He continued to feel his face knowing that an infection had already set in. The wound on his back was dirty and he had nothing to clean it with. But he wasn't too worried. Once he made it to the emergency room, they would start giving him antibiotics to clear up the infection. He was going to be fine. But he needed to know about Ezra and the others.
"How is Ezra Buck?" Nathan sat down next to him so he could look at his face.
"Concussion, and broken ribs the last time I saw him. We got separated." Buck answered him.
The sound of footsteps caused them all to look up, even Buck. They didn't see Chris or the others. More deputies came running out. They moved to the group of men that were by the entrance to the cave.
"What happened?" Vin demanded to know as he stood up.
"They went through a small opening, we couldn't fit so Larabee sent us out." a dark man told him. He looked down at his stomach to explain why they couldn't follow the others.
"Okay." He waited until they moved away. "I'm going in after them."
"No you’re not." Nathan told him. "What if you miss them, then someone else would have to go in after you. No, you wait like we have to wait."
Vin gave in and began to pace. He knew Nathan was right, if he went in there, he could end up running around in circles looking for Chris and the others. His eyes kept moving from Buck to the cave's opening. He didn't like the way Buck looked. The paramedics should be here any minute now and they would take Buck away. He hoped that the others got out so Ezra could go with them. He didn't know how badly he was hurt or if he was able to wait for more medical help. He looked down at his watch. It had been almost ten minutes since the deputies came out.
"Where the hell are they?" Vin saw something move just inside the entrance of the cave. He removed his gun from his holster and stepped closer to it. Nathan followed him. They held their guns at the ready just in case. Three creatures jumped out of the filtered darkness. Their quick reflexes caused the guns that they held to fire. Bullets struck the creatures but they kept coming. The humans had to take a step backwards as they continued to fire at their attackers. The creatures finally fell to the ground but something else was coming towards them.
"Don't fire!" Vin yelled and held his hand up.
What he saw wasn't more Werewolfs but Chris and the others. Josiah was leading them out of the cave. Chris was behind him and was carrying Ezra in his arms. "He doesn't look so good." Vin muttered to himself.
"There's more behind us!" Josiah yelled at him as he ran passed him.
"JD blow the bastards up. NOW!" Chris ordered him.
JD didn't hesitate. He lowered his finger onto the button and pressed it down. He then fell across Buck to protect him as the noise of the explosion sounded in his ears. Debris began to fall around them. It was only a matter of seconds before the dust began to settle.
"You okay Buck?" JD asked him.
"Yeah JD, I'm fine." Buck smiled through the pain. "Thanks."
JD got up and looked for the others, he wanted to make sure they were alright. Nathan and Vin were getting to their feet and moving towards Ezra who lay underneath Josiah and Chris. They had used their bodies to protect him from any further physical harm. JD waited with Buck for news on Ezra's condition.
"Chris, Josiah. You okay?" Nathan asked them as he helped Josiah to his feet.
"Yeah, fine. Ezra?" Chris knelt back down.
"Give me a minute to check him Chris." Nathan rolled Ezra onto his back and began to examine him.
"Broken ribs." he felt his head for the injury that would have caused the concussion that Buck had mentioned. He found it behind Ezra's left ear. "Possible concussion. Puncture wounds to his throat but they aren't deep, some pretty bad bruising though, don't know it there's been any damage done. Deep scratch marks to his left cheek. They're deep, they'll need stitching." He looked over Ezra's still form for a couple of more minutes. "Can't see anything else."
"The medics are on their way." Vin informed Chris. "Should be here any minute."
Chris nodded. "We didn't find Gertrude Johnson."
"You didn't have to, she was one of them." Vin looked down at Ezra. The ex-criminal's face was pale and sweating. At least he was alive.
"Why aren't I surprised." Chris smiled. "How's Buck?"
"He's okay. Deep scratches on his back, an infection has already started and his arm is broken." Nathan answered him. "Go and see him, I'll stay here with Ezra."
Chris nodded and moved away from the unconscious Southerner. He sat down when he reached Buck.
"Buck. Glad to see you again."
"Me too. What time is it?"
"Nearly five. Why?" Chris asked him.
"You interrupted dinner." Buck smiled. Just like the movies, saved in the nick of time.
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He struggled against the hands, no they were claws that held him down. He wanted to scream at the sight of Buck lying beside him. It wasn't just his throat that had been torn open. His heart lay on his chest along side his lungs. The sight terrified him. the ghosts of the dead children surrounded them. If he got away from Gertrude, they would be waiting for him. He didn't know what to do. Maybe the ghost won't hurt him, they didn't before. He pushed himself away from the creature that was trying to kill him. He managed to escape and began to run.
Ezra didn't get far, the ghosts caused him to go in only one direction, they were pushing him to go somewhere he didn't want to go. He felt a huge relief when he saw Chris and the others standing a short distance from him. They were waving at him to hurry. He pushed himself to run faster but his legs froze when he saw the creatures come up behind his friends. He yelled a warning at them and they turned. They couldn't get away, the creatures attacked. There was nothing Ezra could do but to watch his friends die. He screamed.
"No!"
"Ezra!" Chris jumped up from the chair and used his strong arms to hold the Southerner down so he couldn't hurt himself. It was a few minutes before Ezra's struggles eased. "It's okay Ezra." he hoped his voice got through to his friend and calmed his troubled mind. He took the damp cloth from the bowl of water that sat on top of the set of drawers next to the hospital bed. He wiped the sweat from Ezra's face then sat back down again.
"He was having those when we were in that cave. I think that's what was troubling him before we took this case." Buck explained from his bed. His left arm was in plaster and strapped to his chest. A heavy bandage was wrapped around the wound on his back. His face was still flushed with a fever that filled his body but he refused to rest until Ezra had woken up.
"Did he tell you about them?" Chris asked him and then saw the expression on Buck's face. "Of course he didn't."
"You think you’re going to have any?" Nathan asked him.
"Yeah I reckon but I think Ezra saw some worse shit than I did in there." Buck answered.
"Buck?" Ezra grimaced against the pain he was feeling in his body. The voice of his friend had broken into the scary void he was in. He was now glad to be out of it.
"I'm over here Ezra." Buck smiled at Chris.
"Do I smell hospital sheets?"
"You do Ezra." Chris told him.
Ezra opened his eyes at the sound of Chris' voice. He saw the blue eyes of his leader looking down at him.
"You found us?"
"We found you and Buck." Chris nodded.
"Chris."
"Yeah Ezra?"
"I quit."
"Me too." Buck agreed with him.
Chris raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You’re both joking right, I mean you wouldn't leave after everything we've been through would you?"
"Till death do we part." Ezra smiled.
"We aren't married." Chris told him.
"Shame." Buck shrugged his good shoulder. "I could get a lot more women if I was married."
"Did you get them?" Ezra closed his eyes again. He was out of that hellhole but he knew his mind was still in there.
"We got them Ezra." JD told him.
"Is everyone here?"
"Everyone's here." Chris leaned forward. "You want to talk about it Ezra, what happened before this and what happened in there."
Ezra opened his eyes and green met blue. "No."
"You don't have to talk to me, you can talk to anyone of us or even someone else." Chris explained. Ezra looked across at Buck, he had gone through it with him. "You want to talk to Buck?"
Ezra nodded, he had to talk to someone, and he couldn't keep it all inside. He had to trust Buck and hope that he wasn't going to be disappointed in him or think he was weak for what his mind had been going through. He had to make a change and ignore his mother's lessons on life.
Buck watched as the others left them alone. He didn't want to push Ezra to talk so he thought the best thing to do was to wait. He had to wait a while before Ezra began to speak.
"I dream about the dead children that the cult murdered. They're in the woods chasing me. Making me go in a certain direction." Ezra told him.
"If we didn't find you where and when we did Ezra, you would have died. Maybe they were helping you." Buck suggested.
"How?"
"They led you to us."
Ezra frowned, he didn't realise Buck was this intelligent when it came to this sort of thing.
"I dated a psychologist once." Buck explained. "If they wanted to harm you they would have made sure you weren't found."
"I suppose I can think of it that way."
"I can arrange for you to see her if you like. She's really good and the others don't have to know about."
"Thanks, I think I'll take you up on that." Ezra looked at him then looked away. "I'm not good at this sort of stuff Buck, I don't trust people enough with my feelings."
"You can trust us Ezra." Buck smiled at the door. "So what when on in the cave when I was out or not there."
"I'm starting to believe that Buck." Ezra told him.
"You still want to quit?"
"For a couple of weeks at least." Ezra closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The End
Part One | Part Two | Part Three
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